Mafia game - Presentation

This year I use PAT with classes to help with buy-in for being on task during class.

So this week we have a lot of accumulated PAT and since it's the end of the year, I thought we could play a simplified version of Mafia.

I got the idea from Martina Bex last year.

Changes I made:

• I decided for my Spanish 1 class to remove the doctor, because we never finish a game anyway.
• I added a point system because we never finish a game so that way it gives some more semblance of purpose

And here's the presentation I came up with for today to facilitate the game. The language for "se hace de noche" comes from an activity we do earlier in the year so it's familiar.

You could easily take away the language like "killing" to something else. I talk about how the mafia eliminates people, but might use the term "kill" if the classes are familiar with it. The people they accuse go to prison.


If you can use it in your classes, great!  The kids enjoyed the picture of their town in the presentation.

Observation reflection #1

I met Kim Fish and her friend Jeanne at FLAM and they were so gracious to come to my presentations and talk to me afterwards!  During a PD day for their districts, they came to observe my class (on a Friday). It was business as usual in my class.  Kim is a Spanish teacher and Jeanne is a French teacher. I loved observing them while they were watching as they seemed to really be enjoying the overall atmosphere of my classes.

My classes were glad to have them and were definitely showing off their fun attitudes and Spanish (as usual).

During class, we had the usual secret code to get it, then talked a little bit about the kids as usual in PQA, and continued with telling their third spoken story.  Afterwards, we had PAT and played some games reviewing the story and/or the secret agents book we had just started. Since I have 90 minutes, we have to do a lot of different things!

I asked them to write a reflection after observing and here's what Kim wrote in an email:

TPRS year 5 - Preferred Activity Time (PAT) continued...

I posted about this awhile back (see post), but I wanted to point out something I find interesting.

I used to do games every week probably twice or so.  I thought by Wednesday and by Friday we deserved a game.

I have found that with PAT, the fact that they have earned the game is so much more empowering to them.  It also helps during those blocks for them to remember how valuable their attention is (of course we still do brain breaks because I am not a slave-driver).

But notice this graphic to the left.  I have noticed that even with the reward of 1:00 per 15 minutes on task time and giving bonuses for people doing their jobs, we are still getting over 8:00 in some of the classes, which is really awesome for them.

They are constantly being complimented on doing their jobs and hearing that positive encouragement.  This has created an environment where the classroom is charged with excitement as they are walking into my classroom (as I shake their hand and say, "Buenos días".)

The classes that get that 8:00 or more minutes are doing beyond what I could ever ask and that magical fusion creates a class where we can learn so much more that PAT (and more of it) is the best reward to give them, because they are using class time so effectively.

I just wanted to brag about my students.  This is definitely an improvement on PAT since last year. I'm glad it's improving.

If you wanted to see how my board looks, here's another pic.  This is after a class period.  Then I add up the little bonuses (and subtract the negative 5 seconds (each tally) when I lose eye-contact).  The total is circled so I could add it to the spreadsheet.

It might be a little messy, but it has been working for me so far. The numbers are crossed out since I was adding them.  I also make a point to let them know why they are getting those bonuses.

If you don't use PAT in your classroom but find your class could be managed better, consider making the change!  I'm glad I have.